Making Slippers by Hand: Any Tips?

Dear users, dear authors,
Do you have any tips for slippers or house socks—and, if applicable, for the soles of DIY slippers?

I’ve been making my own slippers for ages—I knit and felt them for everyone in my family and for friends. My grandchildren especially love them because no other child has a pair like theirs.

What makes these felted slippers special is that they’re breathable. You don’t sweat in them because the heat is released outward through the wool fibers. At the same time, the wool keeps your feet warm. You can wear them all year round. No one has to walk on cold tile floors. They also fit in any suitcase.

The soles

Over the years, I’ve tried a few things to make them slip-resistant. In addition to felt wool, you can always find little tubes of Sockstop in stores. In my experience, it takes an incredible amount of hand strength to squeeze the rubber through the tiny nozzle. It’s very thick, after all. By the time you’ve finished one shoe—or even a pair—your hand feels like it’s about to fall off.

Then there’s the problem that the leftover product in the tube almost always hardens. It’s obvious—the cap doesn’t seal airtight, and the rubber cures. So if you’re using Sockstop, you might as well do several pairs at once so you can use up the whole bottle. For those who only make one or two pairs, that may work—for cost reasons too.

As someone who makes a lot of felted shoes, I’ve naturally tracked down other, better materials. I’m really excited about “Lilatex Latexmilch .” It’s a liquid latex that comes in various “thicknesses” and colors. This stuff is actually meant for model making. But it’s perfect for making soles slip-resistant.
In all my felted shoe patterns, of course, this is explained in detail.



As an alternative—and because it makes the shoes look more professional—you could also sew a leather sole under your slippers. Simply cut out soles from an old, worn-out leather jacket and sew them under the felt shoe or slipper sock with the rough side facing out. With a leather sole, slippers last four times longer than without one.



Children’s slippers

Since kids tend to outgrow their slippers quickly, homemade felt slippers are perfect. You can simply make them in a ballerina style and jazz them up with patches. Personal preferences can be taken into account here. At my grandson’s daycare, all the parents are always asking where they can find such beautiful slippers. Here are two examples:





Maybe I’ve managed to get you a little excited about this topic? In any case, I’m always making new ones in every color. When they’re worn out or the owner has outgrown them, there’s a new pair. Especially since felting wool is much cheaper than store-bought slippers ;-)

Warm regards from Ina

Can I also use this liquid latex for crocheted or knitted slippers, Ina?

I wear them at home because, even though I have carpet throughout the entire apartment, my feet still get too cold to walk barefoot.

Yes, Marlies, you can also use latex milk for that. Just spread it evenly over the sole and let it harden overnight. It will then become milky-transparent and permanently firm. Then the socks won’t slip anymore. You can also wash the socks—the latex sole won’t come off.

Best regards, Ina

Thank you, Ina. I’ll give that a try.

Great info, Ina. Thanks.